The Enfield Academy side had already experienced three very close defeats this season, but they managed to stop the rot after shading their away friendly against Cheshunt 24-22 in Hertfordshire, writes Jonathan Landi.

Naturally, Storm Bert did his best to ruin the party, and although, mercifully, there was precious little in the way of rain, the winds were fierce in the extreme, as Ignatians played into the ‘elements’ in the first-half.

It proved a good tactical choice as Ignatians found themselves locked at 12-12 at half time, and this following tries from Emmanuel and Gabriel, plus a conversion from the former.

After the interval, two further tries from Ignatians, as Emmanuel completed his hat-trick, gave the visitors a 12-point cushion, before Cheshunt rallied with two tries of their own, and, at the end of the day, only a missed conversion separated the two teams.

Still, Ignatians had turned an important corner in a game in which Liam, integrated into the forwards in the second-half, and King, having been moved to centre, both acquitted themselves well.

Head coach Andy Roper said: “Our tries were well worked team efforts and it was a good all-round team effort.”